New luxury boutique hotel to be built in Manchester city centre

A ‘high-end boutique hotel’ with a restaurant, bar, spa and pool will be built in place of a historic building off Deansgate.

Plans for the 5* hotel on Liverpool Road, approved by Manchester Council, include 36 rooms across five floors. The developers, Salboy Liverpool Road Ltd, believe that more hotel space is required in the area following the recent multi-million pound revivals of Factory Internal and the MOSI at the Science and Industry Museum.

Just a stone’s throw away from both these iconic Manchester venues, the hotel would provide high-end accommodation for visitors to the area whilst maintaining a historic asset, according to the developers.

Manchester International Festival, hosted at the reonvated Aviva Studios, is expected to attract 850,000 people a year to the city alone.

What was formerly the home of the Commercial Hotel, built between 1950 and 1960, would have to be partly demolished to make way for the new boutique hotel. This is due to structural damage within the site identified by the developers – including ceiling collapses.

At the basement level there will be a spa with treatment rooms, pool as well as a steam room and sauna below the restaurant, bar and hotel lobby on the ground floor. The four floors above would contain 36 rooms and staff offices at what is described in documents as a ‘stylish and diverse’ hotel.

“The current condition of the site is unattractive and without some form of intervention would decline further and be subject to vandalism,” An officer’s report said. “There is a risk the building could be lost if development does not occur.

“The proposal would bring heritage benefits in that it would bring reinstatement of lost heritage features allowing the listed building to be appreciated for years to come. The proposal would also support local employment in the form of 35 full time jobs, with a commitment to recruiting employees from the local area and through the client’s partnerships with the local colleges and universities.

“There will be a particular focus on young talent to promote hospitality as a career. The proposal would also support the tourism and leisure economy of Manchester.”